So, get ready to carve out 30 minutes to an hour of your time to answer them. This is worth it. Write them down.

Be honest and be demanding on yourself to answer these questions so that you are true to your heart and intuition.

When you are done, you will have a game plan to build a new future for yourself.

One you have always wanted.

1. What are the things I’m most passionate about? The first step to living a more fulfilling life is to think about the things that you’re passionate about.What do you love? What fulfills you? What “work” do you do that doesn’t feel like work? Maybe you enjoy writing, maybe you love working with animals or maybe you have a knack for photography. The point is, figure out what you love doing, then do more of it.

2. What are my greatest accomplishments in life so far? Think about your past experiences and the things in your life you’re most proud of. How did those accomplishments make you feel? Pretty darn good, right? So why not try and emulate those experiences and feelings? If you ran a marathon once and loved the feeling you had afterwards, start training for another one. If your child grew up to be a star athlete or musician because of your teachings, then be a coach or mentor for other kids. Continue to do the things that have been most fulfilling for you.

3. If my life had absolutely no limits, what would I choose to have and what would I choose to do? Here’s a cool exercise: think about what you would do if you had no limits. If you had all the money and time in the world, where would you go? What would you do? Who would you spend time with? These answers can help you figure out what you want to do with your life. It doesn’t mean you need millions of dollars to be happy though. What it does mean is answering these questions will help you set goals to reach certain milestones and create a path toward happiness and fulfillment. Which leads to our next question........................

4. What are my goals in life? Goals are a necessary component to set you up for a happy future. So answer these questions:

Once you figure out the answers to each of these, you’ll have a much better idea of what you should do with your life.

5. Whom do I admire most in the world? Following the path of successful people can set you up for success. Think about the people you respect and admire most. What are their best qualities? Why do you respect them? What can you learn from them?It’s been saidthat you’re the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. So don’t waste your time with people who hold you back from achieving your dreams. Spend more time with happy, successful, optimistic people and you’ll become one of them.

6. What do I not like to do? An important part of figuring out what you want to do with your life is honestly assessing what you don’t want to do. What are the things you despise? What bugs you the most about your current job? Maybe you hate meetings even though you sit through 6 hours of them every day. If that’s the case, find a job where you can work more independently. The point is, if you want something to change in your life, you need to take action. Which leads to our final question ….....

7. How hard am I willing to work to get what I want? Great accomplishments never come easy. If you want to do great things with your life, you’re going to have to make a great effort. That will probably mean putting in more hours the average person, getting outside your comfort zone and learning as much as you can to achieve as much as you can. But here’s the cool part: it’s often the journey that is the most fulfilling part. It’s during these seemingly small, insignificant moments that you’ll often find that “aha” moments that helps you answer the question, “What do I want to do with my life?” So, take the first step toward improving your life. You won’t regret it.

So how did you do?If you are like me, your paper has lots of notes, plenty of scratch outs and a several things circled and highlighted.Now, make a commitment to yourself to carve out another 30 minutes of your time to put all of this information together on one page.Use the questions from above and list your answers in a clear and concise format.Make copies of your page and post one in your office, in your car, on your bathroom mirror and use one as a bookmark.Hold yourself accountable and post one on Facebook for all of your friends to see.This is your life plan.Do yourself a favor and begin following it.

If you found today’s blog helpful, interesting, or even funny, I bet your friends would too.

Are you sick of New Year's Resolutions? Everywhere you turn someone is preaching to you how to be a better person, how to lose weight or how to make more money in 2017.

"It's easy!"

"Make 2017 your year!"

"Don't wait....Send Your Money Today!"

Ya.....whatever. Blah, blah blah, blah blah blah blah

My job here as the head master of this blog is not to judge you but to provide opportunity, support and help when I can and maybe along the way make your life a little easier and a little better.

So, because of that I am going to chance being one of those annoying people who think they know it all and are convinced they have a better way for you to be a better person.........if you pay to find out how. Except for for few things:

I don't know it all

It's not easy

2017 doesn't have to be your year

You don't have to pay anything

I do have one thing in common with my fellow TV hucksters though. There are better ways to make you a better person. Small ways. Not easy ways but small, controllable ways. All you have to do is make a commitment.

Make a commitment to yourself......Not anyone else......Not to me.....Just to yourself.

30 Challenges for 30 DaysSo what am I talking about?

Well, I ran across this terrific idea on the website HighExistence.com and I want to Thank them for bringing it to the world.

This "plan" is called "Your 30 Day Challenge." It is smart, intuitive and most importantly achievable.
It has been said that it takes about 30 days to form a habit. Have you got 30 days?

Good habits require cultivation and determination.

Getting started is the hardest, especially if you want to change an old habit into a new one.

This is why giving yourself a small challenge for a minimum of 30 days is a great way to get started on making big changes in your life.

So, take a moment to think "Who do I want to be in 2017?"

Check out this TED talk first to get inspired:

Now, pick one or more challenges below and stick with them!Keep a log, challenge your friends. If you don't have any friends then, challenge me. Stay inspired!Be cautioned, picking too many challenges at the same time can easily result in a failure of all of them.And you don't have to use the suggestions below.Do what's important to you.If you are not particularly confident in your ability to make big personal changes then start small, start easy and start on something you find pleasurable.....but start !!!30 Challenges for 30 Days

#1 Write a I-Like-This-About-You note/text/email each day for someone (Easy)

This is the perfect way to let someone else know you care. We are so often focused on the bad stuff that we forget to mention the good. You surely will make people’s day, 30 days in a row!

#2 Talk to one stranger each day (Hard)

This is a great one to cure approaching anxiety. Have you ever resisted the temptation to talk to someone because you were afraid and said to yourself that you actually don’t want to talk to her/him anyway? Not anymore! After 30 strangers you will understand people are just people and there’s nothing weird in speaking to someone you don’t know.

#3 Take one picture each day (Hard)

This one gets harder nearing the end of the challenge because at one point you will run out of the easy shots. This one is great to combine with other challenges, a great way to make a photo diary!

#4 Re-evaluate one long-held belief each day (Intermediate)

Questioning your own beliefs is a great way to rid yourself of bullshit while continually adapting to new knowledge you’ve taken on since putting old beliefs together.

#5 Take a 30 minute walk each day (Easy)

Walking is healthy, relaxing and inspiring. And it is both easy and free! A great exercise while walking is to observe other people and think about what the differences and similarities are between you and them. This will definitely increase your empathy and your observing skills! A great book on this subject is "Manwatching."

#6 Take a moment each day to practice self compassion and self-love (Hard) Do you love yourself? Do you beat yourself up after you make mistakes? You can test your own level of self compassion here. Chances are you don’t score very high. This is because our society sets standards that are almost impossible to achieve. And so we form a habit of thinking we are not good enough, not worthy enough. There is also a kind of stigma on self-love, it is often confused with either being arrogant or it being a weakness. Both are wrong. It is a skill that can be trained so you will develop the emotional skill set to accept parts of yourself which you might not like very much, you learn to stop fighting against frustration and start accepting it as an integral part of life itself. Self love and self acceptance are also crucial to loving and accepting others around you. Exercises to increase self compassion can be found here and check out the love yourself challenge here.#7 Try a new recipe each day (Intermediate) If you want to learn how to cook you need to practice, practice, practice. Forcing yourself to try a new recipe each day is a great way to learn of more techniques and ingredients. It also makes it easier to drop bad food habits you might have and turn them into healthy ones!#8 Refrain from alcohol and other drugs for 30 days in a row! (Depends) Do you have a social circle where there hasn’t been a sober night out for years? Can you try to have fun without ingesting chemicals to alter your doors of perception? This is a great challenge to learn how to stand up for yourself against peer pressure.#9 Write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days (Hard) Ever wanted to write a book? Do it. Do it in 30 days. Check out the official site here.#10 Learn how to draw a human face in 30 days (Intermediate) There are many ‘how to’ YouTube videos on drawing and if you ever wanted to learn how to draw, stop making excuses. Set yourself a challenge and be amazed what you can achieve in 30 days!

#11 Watch a documentary each day (Easy) Always wanted to know everything about a certain topic? You are in luck, it’s the digital era! There are more documentaries online you can possible watch in a lifetime.

YouTube, Google Video, TruthTheory and TopDocumentaryFilms are some of the great sources. ClickHere for a list of the best documentaries according to High Existence.com.#12 Read a chapter each day (Easy) We all know we should be reading more often but somehow we are glued to the same computer screen you are staring at right now. Clicking buttons. The solution is to take some time each day to read one chapter. Just one. Easy right? Do it somewhere cozy or outside. Grab a cup of coffee or tea, turn on some ambient music. Check out these links on what books to read. Click here and here.#13 Study a topic you’d like to master each day (Hard) Always wanted to know everything about Animal Behavior? Psychology? Physics? Philosophy? Educate yourself without school! Pick a topic, plan at least a lecture or an assignment each day and become a genius on your passion! Click here to find out what is possible and how to do it.#14 Walk/Drive/Run a new route to work/school each day (Easy) This is a great challenge to keep alert, discover new places, get a better understanding of your city and to have more fun while doing one of the mundane daily tasks of life.#15 Read a new article on HE each day (Easy) A great way to keep inspired, to come up with new ideas and to motivate yourself to make the best out of life!

#16 Media-fast for 30 days (Intermediate) Don’t watch any television and stop following the news. Limit yourself to reading a maximum of 5 blogs this whole month. Log out of Facebook, Twitter and StumbleUpon. Stop the information overload and try living simple. You¥ll be amazed how much free time you have left!#17 Pick one bad habit you already have and ditch it for 30 days (Hard) Are you a smoker? Do you like to see the negative side of things? Do you practice self-hate? Do you eat fast food? Do you play too many video games? Quit them for 30 days, and pick another challenge instead!#18 Inspire yourself each day (Easy) Studies have shown that people who are inspired are happier, nicer, productive and will not stray away from their chosen path if life gets difficult. So print a quote and tape it to the mirror. Have an inspirational video as your starting page. Use an inspirational mantra for meditation. Get a principle to live by. In short, get your dose of inspiration each day!#19 Take a cold shower each day (Intermediate) Cold showers are great for uplifting ones mood, cure stress related diseases, to strengthens ones immune system and to make your skin beautiful. #20 Think of an accomplishment you’d like to achieve for each year of the next 30 years, a year each day. (Hard) This is great existential shock therapy. You can’t answer these questions without facing your life as it is right now and how it is likely to unfold. This one also gets harder progressively. It’s a great way to reflect!

#21 Practice a random skill everyday (Easy) There are many available How To’s on YouTube and other video sites. Pen tricks, hand stands, Parkour, dances, cooking tricks. Broaden your arsenal!#22 Take the stairs every chance you get (Easy) Somehow escalators seem ridiculous to me, and in some cases elevators too. It always reminds me a bit of all the fat people in Wall-E. Too lazy to do anything. So take the stairs every chance you get for 30 days. It is healthy, it doesn't look silly and it will add up over a lifetime :)#23 Wake up early each day (Intermediate) It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom. – Aristotle Check out how to become an early riser.#24 Keep a journal (Intermediate) Great for memory, reflection and especially awesome to look back to in the future and remember the good old times when you did these challenges!#25 Don’t lie for 30 days (Hard) This is quite the challenge. Stop deceiving yourself and others, speak from the heart. This one goes great with cultivating right intentions, because if you master that, there won’t be any need for lying!

#26 Combine challenges (Easy) Take a photo of yourself reading a different book at a different location. Take 10,000 steps on a new route to meet a stranger and ask for a recipe to try out. Do all challenges, a different one each day. Wake up early to make time to meditate, practice self compassion and yoga. Finish it off with a cold shower!#27 Doing something that scares you every day (Hard) Fear is the one thing keeping you from being the best version of yourself. The only way to overcome your fears is to face them head on!#28 Don’t complain for an entire day (Hard) This one will likely take more than a few days to work up to achieving. Even if you’re a highly positive person, it’s difficult not to utter one negative sentence for a 24-hour span. Don’t be down on yourself if you can’t make it past an hour — as with everything this takes practice! This one is also great practice for becoming conscious of your thoughts.#29 Meditate each day (Intermediate) Read this to learn why you should meditate, learn awesome variations on meditation here and discuss this challenge here. The best moments are just after waking up and just before sleep!#30 Practice (at least) one completely selfless act each day (Easy) Go out of your way to help someone else out who may or may not deserve your kindness. Take out your neighbor’s trash. Give a $5 to a homeless person. Do something that takes real effort on your part while brightening the day of the receiver.

So what challenges are you going to tackle? Is it something you have always wanted to do?

Let's do this together. I have struggled for years to learn Spanish. By the end of 2017 I will be speaking fluent Spanish.

​One morning a professor of philosophy stood in front of his class and wordlessly began to fill a very large and empty mayonnaise jar with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.

They agreed that it was.

The professor picked up a box of tiny pebbles and tipped them into the jar.

He shook the jar lightly allowing the pebbles to roll into the open areas between the golf balls before asking the students if the jar was full.

They agreed it was.

Next the professor poured a box of sand into the jar filling up all the remaining space and once more asked his class if the jar was full.

The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two glasses of wine from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, the students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The 'golf balls' are the important things; your family, your children, your health, your friends and your passions. In other words, all those things that if everything else was lost, and if only they remained, your life would still be full. The 'pebbles' are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car, holidays, etc. The sand is everything else, all the small stuff. Now if you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the 'pebbles' or the 'golf balls'.

The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are truly important to you.

So pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness, play with your children, take care of your health, make time for your friends, and go out to dinner with your partner because there will always be time to clean the house and fix the car.

Set your priorities and take care of the 'golf balls' first, for they are the things that really matter.

All the rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and asked, "What does the wine represent?"

The professor smiled, "I'm glad you asked. I was also showing you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of glasses of wine with a friend."

​If you found today’s blog helpful, interesting, or even funny, I bet your friends would too.

How many times have you heard the phrase: “We survived another work week?”

Or even worse, how many times have you said it yourself?

I really don’t understand why people feel this way.I used to feel this way.I hated it.I changed.

Everyday should be Friday. Weekends should be 7 days long. Every day you should be excited looking forward to what the next day has to offer.

If you don’t, then change something. Period.

Life it tough enough without beating yourself up.

It doesn't help when you are your own worst enemy.

My job here as the headmaster of this blog is not to judge you. My job is not to speculate or theorize why you feel the way you do. My job is to provide opportunity and support for you. It is up to me to help when I can and maybe along the way make your life a little easier and a little more fulfilling.

It is my job to inspire you.

Sometimes, all it takes is just a little word of encouragement to turn a bad day (or a rough life) into a resounding success.

That's my plan for you today.

I want to be the stimulus for you to end your work week on a high note.

Nowadays, we are bombarded by thousands, if not millions, of messages every day. It seems like the world is constantly telling us what to do.

Buy this!

Eat this!

Watch this!

Act now!

Don’t wait!

Blahblahblahblah blah blah blah!!!

Why, it’s your life so you can do what you want. If you like my inspirational notes today, then great… use them if you want. If you don’t like them, then don’t use them. Maybe you are having a bad day and don’t feel like being inspired.

I get it.

But let me tell you this. I ran across this article on one of my favorite websites, StumbleUpon. It was perfect timing because it got me through a bad day. In fact, it has inspired me to change my life in many little ways. The title of the article is “45 Life Lessons Written By a 90 Year Old” I thought: “That has to be interesting.” So I checked it out, only to find out that, like so many other things you read on the internet, this article has been “reinvented” as time passed. It wasn’t written by a 90 year old. It was written by a fellow Baby Boomer, Regina Brett.

Over the last decade or so, this article has gone viral across the internet so I guess I am just doing my part to keep it alive.

She was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist twice, in 2009 and 2008 for columns she wrote for The Plain Dealer, Ohio’s largest newspaper.

When Regina turned 50, she wrote a column on the 50 lessons life taught her. A life as an unwed mother. A life as a single parent for 18 years. A life searching for love and finally finding it at 40. A life interrupted by breast cancer at age 41. A life that reflects the ups and downs, twists and turns we all face, but usually not all in one lifetime.

Hopefully, you will find these as entertaining and inspiring as I did even if they were written by someone our age and not a 90 year old person.

I used my "artistic license" and picked out my favorite 40. 1. Life isn't fair, but it’s still good. 2. When in doubt, just take the next small step. 3. Life is too short not to enjoy it. 4. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will. 5. Don’t buy stuff you don’t need. 6. You don’t have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself. 7. Save for things that matter. 8. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile. 9. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present. 10. It’s OK to let your children see you cry. 11. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about. 12. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it. 13. Everything can change in the blink of an eye 14. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind. 15. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful. Clutter weighs you down in many ways. 16. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger. 17. It’s never too late to be happy. But it’s all up to you and no one else. 18. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer. 19. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special. 20. Overprepare, then go with the flow. 21. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple. 22. The most important sex organ is the brain. 23. No one is in charge of your happiness but you. 24. Frame every so-called disaster with these words, ‘In five years, will this matter?’ 25. Always choose Life. 26. Forgive but don’t forget. 27. What other people think of you is none of your business. 28. Time heals almost everything. Give Time time. 29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change. 30. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does. 31. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now. 32. Growing old beats the alternative — dying young. 33. Your children get only one childhood. 34. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved. 35. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere. 36. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’dgrab ours back. 37. Envy is a waste of time. Accept what you already have, not what you think you need. 38. The best is yet to come… 39. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up. 40. Yield.

Do you have any life lessons that have inspired you?

Please share them in the comments section below.

If you found today’s blog helpful, interesting, or even funny, I bet your friends would too.

The other day I was at a business event and a couple of my associates were discussing what decade of their life was the best.

Was it when you were a child? You remember, right?........no cares, Mom and Dad provided everything and your biggest decision was which toy to play with.

Some of my associates referred back to their college days. Any blue blooded American Baby Boomer should be able to look back fondly on their favorite "summer of love" in college.

For me, college was kind of like my youth. You remember, right?.......No cares, Mom and Dad provided everything and your biggest decision was how to divide your time between sex, drugs and rock n' roll.

Well, during our course of discussion one of my colleagues used the term "Seenager" that he had picked up from the internet. "Seenager"...........it has a ring to it doesn't it? Basically, it's a combination of a Senior Citizen and a Teenager. When I heard the word "Seenager" I said to myself........."Myself, that's exactly what you are."

Why am I a "Seenager?"

I have almost everything I wanted as a teenage but 40 years later and with no strings attached.

I have my own place and it has all of the cool things I always dreamed about like a big TV and and a refrigerator full of beer and a nice bar-b-que.

I also have a driver's license and a nice car and a motorcycle and I can pick up chicks if I ever get the nerve.

I don't have a curfew and have very few responsibilities to others. I basically get to go wherever I want, when I want and with whomever I want.

I can sleep in if I want or go to bed early if the urge strikes me.

I really don't have to go to work or school but I do because I am doing something I love and I want to.

The women I am lucky enough to have sex with don't have to worry about getting pregnant and we talk about things that we find satisfying and erotic.......No more "Mr. Fumbles."

I love to listen to music. Oh, the music......Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Yes, Jimi Hendrix. Music is very important. Now I season my musical tastes with Sinatra, Beethoven, Billie Holiday and Ella.

Most of my friends drink responsibly. I don't get "carded" for buying alcohol unless it's to prove my age for a "senior discount."

Most of my friends don't rely on recreational drugs for entertainment. The only drugs we talk about are those for our physical ailments.

Although I don't have acne, greasy hair or have crooked teeth, I am still challenged by my physical appearance.I am now bothered by unpredictable hair growth or lack of it. It has tended to stop flourishing on the top of my head and now prefers to showcase itself inside my nose and ears.

Yes, fellow Baby Boomers, I am a "Seenager" and proud of it.

The decade of my 50's has been, by far, the best decade of my life. And I don't think I have had my "Midlife Crisis" yet. And I have a sneaking suspicion that my 60's will be even better.

How about you?

Never put an age limit on your dreams !!

If you found today’s blog helpful, interesting, or even funny, I bet your friends would too.

Everyone now-a-days talks about their "Bucket List" especially folks our age. If you are like me, somewhere around the ripe old age of 50, a nagging feeling started to grow that there will not be enough time to accomplish everything you would like to before the final curtain. You think to yourself, what would be the most rewarding experiences you wish you could still have?

I've said it time and time again, it's OK to look back on your life and reminisce, but it's much better to keep looking forward. There are still tons of great experiences to achieve, no matter how big or small.

Well, the fine folks at Key Retirement sent me a wonderful infographic that will help us focus on the future even if we are over the age of 50. They call it "The Ultimate Bucket List for Over 50's."

Once again, if you are like me, you find things are getting more complicated as we age and it becomes harder to fulfill the dreams of completing our bucket list. It might be health issues that slow you down. It might be that your retirement "nest egg" took a beating during the recession. It might be that you have elderly parents to care for. Heck, it might even be that you cant find the time or can't get over a fear that keeps you from filling your bucket

Regardless of what is slowing you down, I recommend you never stop scratching things off your bucket list and always take the time to plan for your next adventure. Always pursue happiness.

Whatever that happiness is: It could be dreams of satisfying the inner nomad in you, starting that novel you’ve always wanted to write, tasting exotic foods, learning a new language or even starting your own business, use the suggestions below to help you get closer to your dreams.

Using survey data and a little imagination, Key Retirement produced this infographic offering bucket list ideas everyone should consider doing at least once.

So, do you think the folks at Key Retirement came up with some great ideas? This is not an exhaustive list and I'm sure the rest of your Baby Boomer Brethren would love to here your ideas and bucket list suggestions. Please take a minute to add them to the comments below.

One of the strangest things that has happened to me as I have gotten older is realizing that my time is limited.

I really can't remember when I first began realizing this fact but it wasn't too long ago.

As dismal as this may sound it really has a silver lining.

Knowing and accepting the fact that my future is finite has driven me to focus on two things:

1. Removing those things in my life that are senseless and non-productive

and

2. Concentrating on what's most important in life.

The first action has been relatively easy to correct.We all know what negatively effects our lives.It can be a bad habit like smoking, an unhealthy relationship, a dead end job or a disparaging circle of friends.We know what needs to be done to correct these issues.But the second course of action has taken some time to come to terms with.Actually, it still continues to weave itself into my daily routine.I am still not really sure what my priorities should be.There is still some doubt surrounding my decisions.This isn't a negative though.In fact, concentrating on and really trying to explore what is important in life has been an uplifting and gratifying experience so far.There is a certain degree of satisfaction knowing that you are truly attempting to experience life instead of just letting your life run you.There is also a deeper connection to your fellow man knowing that there are many more Baby Boomers among us struggling with and finding peace with this debate.

That being said, one of the avenues I chose to explore was what do people on their death beds consider the biggest regrets in their lives?I would think that there would be such an incredible level of clarity at this final point in our life that there would be no room for doubt or fear.Believe it or not, there are incredible amounts of articles and a profusion of lists written by folks in the final stages of life.It is interesting that most of them shared a very similar picture of disappointment, remorse and even apology for what they considered the shortcomings in their lives.Using the direction and advice from these folks, I have put together what I consider my primary life "Honey Do" list.

I bring you quick and simple solutions to what I consider the "Top 10 Regrets of Life."By realizing that so many people have acknowledged these shortcomings in their lives, I can use them to target what truly needs to be done to make my life complete.If you choose, so can you.

Changing The Top Ten Regrets in LifeFind the strength to do what you want. Don't be afraid to do things. Fear can paralyze us, but we can’t let it. Never be afraid of taking a big risk (especially in love). Taking a bigger risk can pay off more than taking a smaller one.Make physical fitness a priority. As you get older you’ll realize how important it is to take care of your body. Maintaining a healthy body as you get older gives you the best chance of reaching your maximum potential.Spend time with your loved ones first. This includes both family and friends. Some people get caught up with work, move to other parts of the world, grow old with grudges against family members only to realize their priorities were in the wrong place. We are all on this earth for a limited amount of time, don’t take the granted for granted. Tell everyone that needs to be told “I love you.” It doesn't have to be in those words but loving another person is a precious gift. Again, don't let time run out on you and don't be afraid. You probably spent your entire youth being self-absorbed. There is more to the world than just you.Travel why you have the chance. Traveling gets harder as you get older. Physically, it's harder to do and at our age more and more people depend on your presence. When the opportunity presents itself, take it. Explore the world.

Distance yourself from all bad relationships. It may hurt to end a bad relationship, but it’s not as painful and damaging as staying in it and wasting everyone’s time. Be humane and use common sense in your decisions but you need to clarify who goes and who remains in your life.

Start moving faster. Don’t hesitate when making decisions. Your have a lifetime of experience and intuition to guide you now. Don't waste your time on details. Again, your time is limited so accomplish what needs to be done.

If you don't like your job then quit. I know you have financial obligations to meet and people rely on you for support but don't allow yourself to b miserable every day. If you are taking these priorities seriously, you will find a way to support yourself by doing something that is fulfilling and you enjoy. There is no sense in working so much to reach someone else's goals.. You’re going to miss the good parts of life, or be too stressed to enjoy them.

Learn how to cook. Then cook a lot even if it's just one signature meal. Cooking embraces life. It brings family and friends together. Forgive the pun but it adds spice to life.

Experience the arts. Whether it's seeing your favorite aging rock bands, world class symphony, ballet, opera, art showings or visiting museums experience the best life has to offer. Do it everywhere you travel. Do it with family and friends.

What do you think?Would these serve as a good template for prioritizing what is important in your life?I know each of you out there have your own personal regrets and priorities and I would love to hear them.Please post them in the comments below. If you found today’s blog helpful, interesting, or even funny, I bet your friends would too.

Over the next 5 days or so I will touch on what I think are the 5 things that Baby Boomers miss the most from their youth.

Everybody will have their own opinions.

Men will differ from the women.

"Scholars" will differ from the "Jocks."

"Right Wingers" will differ from the "Conservatives."

"Arizonans" will differ from "New Yorkers."

No matter what your opinion is, I bet that these are things we truly loved. These are things that, for a time, were sewn into the fiber of our lives. These are things we enjoyed and took for granted.

Overall, these are things I bet everyone wishes they could go back and have all over again.

1. Playing Sports

I apologize up front but the first "thing" I am going to talk about is, for all intents and purposes, considered a "Man Thing." Most women probably wouldn't understand but playing sports is "hard wired" into the male species.

We are born with the drive to be competitive and to win. We are obsessed with being the fastest, the strongest, the nimblest and in the end the best. Playing organized sports have always been the easiest way to do just that.

In our youth, it didn't matter if the sport involved hitting a three inch hard sphere thrown at you at almost 100 mph, lofting a 16 pound plastic ball down a 60 foot alley to knock down heavy wooden pins or tackling a 300 pound gorilla carrying a leather sausage under his arm trying to run you over to reach your side of the playing field.

All that mattered was that we were good enough to beat the next guy.

Nephew Steven Lickus and Jay Lickus Golfing

But as we aged, our ability to play sports (without major physical damage) at a highly elevated competitive level changed. Our bodies were no longer what they used to be so we adapted.

Our once blossoming careers in fast pitch baseball evolved into slow pitch softball. The 16 pound bowling ball we used to raise proudly into the sky dropped down to 12 pounds. The art of tackling 300 pound gorillas was traded in for the safer sport of hitting little plastic golf balls 500 yards into little holes.

So what did we do? We adapted and we became coaches. Our children were growing up and playing Little League, AYSO Soccer and Pop Warner football. We taught them to be aggressive. We taught them how important it was to win. We lived vicariously through them.

But it was still sports. We ran drills, shagged fly balls and pitched batting practice. It still was all about the thrill of victory and winning. We competed right alongside our children. We fought against the other coaches. We got our exercise.

Then our kids grew up and joined their own high school and college teams. All we could do was watch.

Jay Lickus Playing Softball

And now, at the age of 58 competitive sports is just a memory of the past. As close as I get to playing in the "big game" is reliving the "glory days" of my youth with my buddies over a glass of beer and a cigar.

I miss those days.

My body doesn't but my psyche does.

I know there are "senior" sports I could be playing but I guess I just don't have the time or that need for the adrenaline rush anymore. Plus, I would look rather silly standing at shortstop in baggy baseball shorts with my knobby knees all bandaged up and a brace on my elbow, squinting to see the ball coming at me.

Today, I proudly watch sports. I am an armchair quarterback. I am the king of fantasy football. Now, instead of dreaming about playing in the World Series or the Superbowl, I travel the world to watch these great sporting events live.

My Daughter Veronique Naukkarinen

I don't have to play in them. But, I do miss them. I miss them sorely.

And I know a lot of Baby Boomer men feel the same as I do. Every time I get together with my old "softball gang" we revisit all of the great games we won with walk off hits, once in a lifetime triple plays and the "Mighty Casey" home run strokes.

Then we turn to each other while watching a ball game on TV and say "Man do those kids look young!"

Well, my grandkids are almost old enough to start T-Ball.

In the meantime, checkers anyone?

If you found today’s blog helpful, interesting, or even funny, I bet your friends would too.

The other day, I ran across the incredible poem "IF" by Rudyard Kipling and felt compelled to post it on my blog for your enjoyment. Probably 40 years have passed since I first read that poem. It's amazing how much more the words mean now than they did when I read them as a younger man. In fact, in some not so small way, this epic lyric has changed my life.

Today, and going forward I will heed the advice offered by Mr. Kipling.

Today, and going forward I will build my life with my "worn-out tools."

Today, and going forward I will be a man.

So, what does it mean to be a man?

I decided to research this question to see what the modern world has to say.

As fate would have it, one of the first articles of advice I ran across was the very popular "Guide to Being a Man" conceived by the fine folks at the global banking and investment firm Goldman Sachs. As you’d expect from Goldman Sachs, there’s a distinct stiff upper lip, Wall Street swagger, BMW driven, starched white collar sensibility to many of these insightful proverbs.

I know, you are probably ready to shout at me that you have grown extremely tired of the endless offerings of lists and how-to guides that are rampant with clever cliches and devoid of any true common sense.

Well, this is probably one list you won't hate as much as you thought you would after reading, and re-reading it.
I don't agree with all of these suggestions but I found a few interesting scraps of wisdom. Apparently, a healthy dose of confidence and even arrogance is a prerequisite to being a "modern man."

You know, you probably will never find me fly fishing but I am willing to stop taking "selfies" and I may just experiment with having a glass of wine with lunch.

Hopefully, you will also find few practical pointers below that are worth adopting into your lifestyle.

Sometimes you find the greatest advice in the strangest of places and when you least expect it

This morning I ran across this poem by Rudyard Kipling in a little coffee shop magazine and even though I had read it many times in the past, today it "clicked."

Today, and going forward I will heed his advice.

Today, and going forward I will build my life with my "worn-out tools."

Today, and going forward I will be a man.

Won't you join me?

If

by RUDYARD KIPLINGIf you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,Or being hated, don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master; If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss;If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much;If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

If you found today’s blog helpful, interesting, or even funny, I bet your friends would too.

Author

Jay Lickus was born in 1956 in the harmonious and affableMarquette Parkneighborhood on the South side of Chicago. He attended 12 years of Catholic school and graduated from the University of Illinois. He began his professional career as a paperboy (didn't we all) and matured quickly working his way though numerous menial jobs - factory worker, kitchen helper, pizza maker (not a bad gig), shipping and receiving clerk and go figure, a house painter. During college he started his own painting and contracting company. In the late 80's he moved to Los Angeles to begin a sales career in the paint and coatings industry. In 2012, after 10 years as a top notch sales representative and another decade or so as a blue chip Sales Manager, he was unceremoniously kicked to the curb like an unwanted old piece of furniture ( I humorously embellish for effect) only to begin his new path to a better and more satisfying life. Jay currently resides in Surprise, AZ building a prosperous Real Estate business. He has four wonderful kids and 7 glorious grandchildren scattered across the U.S. As of today, he is one very happy man !!